By Haydar Karaalp
BAGHDAD (AA) - The opening ceremony for the Ottoman Cultural Heritage Book Exhibition under Iraq's Ministry of Culture took place Wednesday in Baghdad.
Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Al-Badrani and Türkiye's Ambassador to Baghdad Ali Riza Guney attended the inauguration of the one-day exhibition in the Iraqi capital.
The exhibition featured hundreds of books in the Turkish and Ottoman languages related to Ottoman history along with some calligraphy panels by Iraqi calligraphers.
Al-Badrani said during a press conference at the event that the Iraqi Manuscript House in Baghdad not only possesses documents related to Iraq's history but also the history of the entire region.
He recalled that during the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, many works at the center were burnt or lost.
Highlighting the cordial relations between Iraq and Türkiye, Al-Badrani noted that the historical ties between the two countries date back over 500 years, including geographical and religious connections.
"The Ottoman archives contain numerous documents. These documents narrate the history of the three provinces in Iraq that were under the Ottoman Empire," he said, expressing their desire to collaborate with Türkiye on archives for the benefit of postgraduate students.
He added that neighboring countries have contributed to the return of historical artifacts stolen from Iraq.
Ambassador Guney expressed his satisfaction with the display of Turkish books at this historic location.
"The Iraqi National Library and archive are a valuable source of knowledge for the rich history of Iraq and the region,” he said.
“The building we are in seems to have been reborn from its ashes. The exhibition of artifacts from our shared history with our Iraqi brothers and sisters in this building that has witnessed history sheds light on our historical relations, contributing to bridging the distance between us."
Referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's initiative in establishing the National Library, Guney declared their intent to declare today, March 27, as Türkiye-Iraq Joint Culture Day.
He also announced that these artifacts will be exhibited in the Türkiye section of the library with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in a year's time.
Following the press conference, Al-Badrani presented a plaque to Guney.
*Writing by Serdar Dincel from Istanbul